1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a low profile overhead lighting fixture, such as a streetlight, or luminaire, and more particularly to a lens shield for such luminaire.
2. Prior Art
Lenses are customarily provided to cover the aperture emitting light from the light-producing means of a luminaire to protect and perhaps to diffuse light from such light-producing means. Usually such lenses are made of glass, and, hence, are subject to vandalistic breakage. Such breakage necessitates replacement of lenses and also may subject persons in the area of a luminaire to injury due to the broken glass of the lens.
In my prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,160,286, a transparent hemispherical shield formed of polycarbonate resin plastic was mounted to cover a bulging bowl-shaped light-diffusing glass lens of a luminaire to protect such lens. The hemispherical shape was chosen because it is structurally strong and is of a size to shroud and be spaced a substantial distance outward from the bulging light-diffusing lens so that there is less chance of the plastic shield being discolored or deformed by heat or ultraviolet radiation. However, such a hemispherical shield would destroy the esthetic low profile character of a luminaire having a substantially flat lens.